We’re five days into rehearsals and a certain rhythm has settled in. As she always does on shows she directs, Emily leads the cast in yoga stretching each day before rehearsals begin. It is a great way for everyone to get relaxed and stay focused.

We spent the first three days doing table work, delving into the play and asking lots of questions. One little known fact that we uncovered was about the origins of the nursery rhyme “Peter, Peter pumpkin eater”, which Emily has incorporated into the first scene of the play. We found out that the rhyme originated in America (pumpkins are native to these shores), and that it referred to men locking their wives away, exactly what happens to Mrs. Packard.

We also had the chance to talk with costume designer Jennifer von Mayrhauser, who showed us her renderings for the different characters. The print that will be used for Mrs. Packard’s dress actually is a reproduction of a print from the 1860s! It’s incredible what a good costume designer can come up with. The big decision was whether to go with the red or the blue fabric, and the decision was made to go with the blue, as it went better with actress Kathryn Meisle’s complexion.

As this play deals with religious extremism, we have found this quote by Pascal particularly apt and have posted it in the rehearsal room:

“People never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.”

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